Game
by Aishuu
Summary: Golden Pair Fic, complete. When Oishi meets Kikumaru in their first year, he doesn't think much of him but that's going to change.
1. Part 1

Aishuu Offers:

Game

~ A Prince of Tennis Fanfiction ~

mbsilvana@yahoo.com

Disclaimer: Konomi Takeshi, manga-ka.

Note: O/K and T/F. This is the first of three, perhaps (To be called AGame, Set, Match") if I decide to write the other two - if not, it stands on its own. The O/K fic I've been promising for months... it got divided and developed a strong T/F subplot... darn Fuji. 

Second Note: This was began WAY before Chapter 203 came out, so it's an AU now.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

When Kikumaru Eiji suddenly showed up to the tennis club right after the team had been knocked out at the Prefectural levels, declaring he wanted to join, Oishi Syuichirou had been a bit skeptical. 

Summer training camp had just past, and all players were finally eligible for the infamous inter‑ranking matches. It was on the first day that Kikumaru showed up, dragging a friend along. Oishi couldn't remember what the other boy's name was, but he certainly recognized Kikumaru.

It would have been impossible not to know Kikumaru Eiji. Everyone in school did.

The red head was one of the most popular boys of their year, cheerful and energetic, and utterly irrepressible. He bounced around the school like a puppy, and within a week of starting, everyone was able to recognize him. He elicited smiles and constant offers of friendship, which he took in stride, but he also had the attention span of a gnat.

Oishi wasn't that surprised to see Kikumaru show up. The boy was notorious for switching clubs, and the tennis club was certainly the schools' pride and joy. Many people joined, hoping for a bit of reflected glory, only to drop out after finding out how hard the practices were.

He gave him three days.

Yamato‑buchou merely gave the two most recent prospective members the lecture about how it would be a week before they would touch a racquet, and they could have fun chasing balls. He wore a pleasant smile on his face, but Oishi was wagering that the captain was going to run them ragged. Well, he wasn't going to worry about it. He had a game to play.

***

He ended his first ranking match 3‑2, which was a pretty strong showing for a first year. He had the misfortune of being in C‑block against a second year regular who was going to be captain next year, and Tezuka Kunimitsu.

Tezuka was the one who won their block.

  


No one was surprised ‑ the team was hoping to advance to nationals next year, and Tezuka was going to be their ace. The game he played against Tezuka had been the most challenging. He had rarely played against his friend, and he suddenly was made aware of why everyone was so afraid of him. 

It was like someone had drawn the wool from his eyes, and he saw Tezuka for what he was. Halfway through the game, he realized that he would never, no matter how much he trained, beat him. Tezuka had natural talent and practiced, but even more, he had the ability to completely control the game. Oishi played tennis; to Tezuka, it was a vocation. 

Oishi completely fell apart after that, and lost the game 6‑0.

As he dried the sweat from his brow, a hand popped into his view, holding out a water bottle. "You're really good," a chipper voice told him. Blinking, he looked up, and saw Kikumaru. The other boy was dressed in the white and green gym outfit the school provided, while Oishi had been rewarded with a track suit from the tennis club after the summer training. "Take it," Kikumaru insisted, shaking the bottle insistently. "I bet you're dehydrated."

"Thanks," he said. The water was cool against his throat, and he guzzled it greedily before studying his benefactor. He had never been this close to the other boy, and was surprised to see the Kikumaru's eyes were a deep purple. 

"I mean it, I mean, about you being good," Kikumaru said. "You're the best first year out there."

"I didn't beat Tezuka," Oishi replied a bit stiffly. He wondered exactly what Kikumaru was up to.

"He's a first year? I thought... sheesh, that guy is scary!" 

Oishi frowned. He didn't always understand Tezuka, but he was the person Oishi respected most. He hated hearing people insult him. "Tezuka works hard to get as skilled as he is," Oishi said, defending his friend.

Kikumaru looked at him and started to laugh. "No, no... I mean his face! Does he ever smile?" Kikumaru pulled his lips into a wide grin, using his index fingers to make the comical face. "You should teach him!"

He was at an utter lost for words. Of course, it had crossed his mind that Tezuka wasn't that expressive, but the ridiculous suggestion made him burst out laughing. 

Kikumaru grinned back at him. "That's better! You were looking really grim. I‑"

"Kikumaru‑kun! Go pick up the balls on B‑court!" Yamato‑buchou yelled. 

Kikumaru gave him a guilty look. "I think he's annoyed. Bye!" he said, waving a hand over his shoulder as he darted away to his assigned task. 

Oishi opened his mouth to thank Kikumaru again, but the boy had already scurried out of hearing range.

  


And that was the first time he ever spoke to Kikumaru Eiji.

****

Kikumaru had lasted a week, which was usually the "make or break" time. Oishi was surprised, but somehow the club seemed to have added life with Kikumaru bouncing around, chattering irreverently at the senpai, and always towing his friend, Fuji Syuusuke, in his wake. Though it was hard to think of Fuji being a follower - he wasn't following Kikumaru so much as... being amused by his antics constantly.

He was a strange one.

Fuji Syuusuke had joined with Kikumaru, and was something of an enigma. Oishi couldn't ever remember seeing him without a smile on his face. It creeped him out, just a bit. If Tezuka didn't smile enough, then Fuji smiled too much. Oishi didn't like it, especially with the way Fuji's eyes seemed to be almost perpetually closed as he wore that seemingly innocent look - but the alternative was worse. He could only ever remember seeing Fuji's eyes open once, and that had scared him even more. 

It had been during a game when Tezuka had playing, of course. When Tezuka played, everyone stopped whatever they were doing to watch. His smooth movements drew the eye, and the others recognized that he was truly something exceptional. Oishi had only played against him a handful of times, but each time he became more and more aware of how far he had to go - and Tezuka was advancing out of his reach before he could do so.

Tezuka had been playing against a second‑year regular, Kuroi, in a practice match. The first game went to Tezuka, as did the second. Kuroi was fighting hard to keep his serve when Oishi heard Kikumaru's voice.

"Ne, come ON, Fuji!" he said. "We'll miss the match!"

Glancing over, he saw the vibrant boy dragging his more laid‑back friend behind him. Fuji wore his ever‑present smile, and was tolerantly ignoring the way his hyperactive friend was tugging on his arm. "Quiet, Eiji," Fuji advised when he noticed Oishi looking at them. "It's rude to be so loud."

Kikumaru blushed brightly, before coming to stand next to Oishi. "How's it going?" he asked.  

"Tezuka is winning."

"Of course he is - he's amazing!" Kikumaru said, scowling as though Oishi had just told him the sky was blue. "But by how much?" 

"He's taken the first two games, and this one is currently 40‑30, his favor," Oishi said, watching as the volley continued. It was a drawn-out game, with each player showcasing amazing endurance. Oishi wondered if they would both last the next three games at this cruel pace.

  


"Fuji missed watching your game against him. I told him you were really good and Tezuka was unbelievable... I hope we can see you play again soon," Kikumaru said wistfully. He leaned forward and pressed his face against the fence, gripping it between his fingers.

It was strange to think Kikumaru was the same age as he was. There was such innocence about him. "We'll play soon," Oishi said. "You're allowed on the court next week."

"Really? That's great!!" Kikumaru said, bouncing up and down. "You hear that, Fu‑ woahhhh..." Kikumaru stopped mid‑word, and Oishi managed to pry his eyes away from Tezuka's game to see what had caught Kikumaru's attention.

Instead of standing there with the mild expression Oishi had been expecting, Fuji wore a look of intense interest - and his eyes were wide open. They were a stunning cerulean blue, a color that seemed almost unnatural. 

And they were watching Tezuka in a fashion that recalled a cat with a mouse in its sight.

Oishi stared in a bit of fear. He hadn't considered thinking on what Fuji was like, but seeing him watch Tezuka made him.... worried.  He took a deep breath, and then laughed internally a bit at his whimsy. Tezuka was way, way ahead of any player his age. There was no way a new player who had just joined the club would be any cause for concern.

The trio watched as Tezuka took the game, and then had his turn to serve. He tossed the ball into the air, and their eyes were drawn to it as it went to Kuroi, who returned it.

"He's not playing seriously," Fuji murmured.

"Hmmm," Oishi murmured. Tezuka already had three games, but Kuroi had scored in all of them. The volley that was going back and forth, each of the players resembling a wall. Nothing was going through.                                                                                  

"He should have finished this match in ten minutes," Fuji said. "He's too kind."

Kind wasn't a word Oishi would have used to describe Tezuka. Considerate, would have been more accurate. "There's few people that will make Tezuka go all out," Oishi answered finally.

Fuji just continued to watch as Tezuka won the next two matches, bringing the game count to 5‑0. Suddenly his smile changed in an almost imperceptible way. "Ah, I see," he said. He put his hands in his shorts pockets and slouched down, seeming to be satisfied.

"What?" Kikumaru asked. He grabbed Fuji's sleeve and tugged. "What is it?"

"He's teaching," Fuji replied, nodding to the court. "Everything Kuroi does, Tezuka raises the level just a bit... and occasionally lets him score as a reward. Tezuka's interesting."

Oishi watched the final game play through, and he had to admit the likely truth of what Fuji had said. Tezuka was playing at a level just above Kuroi's... challenging the older player to go beyond his limits.

  


He had never noticed. Was Tezuka already taken his responsibility as the Pillar of Seigaku this seriously? Oishi had assumed it was a future thing, something to be done when the third years were gone and he became a senpai...

But Tezuka wasn't the type to wait.

"Game and set, won by Tezuka!" the referee called. 

The entire club released a breath, but Oishi turned his eyes to Fuji, whose eyelids had drifted down.  His expression had returned to the mild, slightly-amused smile, but Oishi knew that there was more to the first year than that.

Fuji had recognized Tezuka's real skills - and something told Oishi that underneath the rather mild manner, a lion was waiting to spring.

*****

The next week, Kikumaru and Fuji joined the rest of the first years at stroke practices. Oishi found the practices boring, but recognized their use. It was amusing, though, how enthused Kikumaru was about it.

The boy bounced onto the court, holding a racquet which looked like it had been used, but also maintained well - a good sign. First years that came with new equipment almost always had no clue about the game.

Kikumaru rushed over to him, and Oishi blinked in surprise. "I can't wait!" he said enthusiastically. "It's going to be so much fun!"

Oishi remembered the thrill the first time his senpai had allowed him on the court and gave Kikumaru an indulgent smile. "It's a lot of work," he warned.

"I know how to work!" Kikumaru protested.

"I'm sure you do," Oishi said in placating way.

The freshmen began with one hundred strokes, and Oishi glanced at Kikumaru out of the corner of his eye.  He was holding his racquet well, which pleased Oishi. It seemed like Oishi's suspicions were right, and Kikumaru knew at least the fundamentals.

Which made him wonder - why had Kikumaru waited to join the club?

"Everyone, twenty laps!" the captain's voice said, cutting through Oishi's wondering. He blinked, wondering what had inspired Yamato‑buchou to suddenly declare they were to run. Yamato only gave extra laps as punishment, so something must have gone wrong somewhere.

  


The entire team groaned, and put their racquets aside. Oishi looked for Tezuka, who had been practicing with the other regulars. Unsurprisingly, Tezuka was at the front of pack, setting a brisk pace. He wore no expression, but Oishi noticed how he was carefully avoiding the others.

Ah, I see, Oishi realized. It was more tension from the upperclassman directed at the shining star among them. He felt a surge of sympathy for Tezuka, wondering how lonely it had to be for him. 

But we're going to Nationals, Oishi told himself firmly. Tezuka will lead us there.

"Why's everyone mad at Tezuka?" a voice said from behind him. Oishi blinked, looking over. He hadn't realized it, but the other had fallen into step beside him, maintaining his rhythm easily. 

"Because he's too good, and he made it onto the team over the senpai," Oishi answered honestly.

"Che. Are they crazy?" Kikumaru looked offended on Tezuka's behalf.

He felt himself smile. "I sometimes think they are. Tezuka's getting better every day. Can you imagine how good he'll be in a year?"

"He'll be... the strongest player our age," Kikumaru said after a moment, and his face paled a bit, despite his exertions.  "As long as I don't have to play him in a ranking match, I think it's good!"

Oishi smiled. He felt much the same himself. Tezuka was amazing, and watching him was a privilege, but running into him at a ranking match was... not desirable. If Oishi had been in a different block, he felt he might have actually made the regulars this time around.

"He looks... lonely," Kikumaru said. "Are you his only friend?"

Oishi was surprised. He had never thought of Tezuka being particularly lonely - they had each other. "He's my best friend, and we don't hang around many people. They're scared of him, and Tezuka doesn't do hanging out very well," he admitted. It was hard to image going over to Tezuka's house to play video games, or agreeing to watch a movie somewhere. Tezuka just wasn't into what most kids their age liked.

Kikumaru considered that for a moment before speaking again. "Would you like to get an ice cream?" he asked as they rounded the corner. "After practice?"

Oishi blinked, feeling a bit startled by the offer and unsure how to handle it. "Um... shouldn't you ask Fuji?"

"I'm asking you. I thought that if you only hung around Tezuka, you might be lonely," Kikumaru said.

Oishi had never considered himself particularly lonely, but he knew there were many Sundays when he just sat at home, since he had no one to do anything with, since he couldn't spend all his time with Tezuka. Oishi's inherent shyness made it difficult to make friends, and he would be an idiot to reject Kikumaru's offer. 

"I'd like that," Oishi said.

  


As soon as they changed back into their school uniforms, Kikumaru shouldered his tennis bag. "I really, really like Bobson's Ice Cream," he said. His grin was suggestive as he nodded south. "I know it's a bit of a walk, but I figure the exercise keeps from adding the weight."

Oishi smiled shyly and agreed. It was odd to be concerned about weight, but tennis players had to keep in top condition. 

Kikumaru was all over the street, and Oishi's head spun as his eyes tried to anticipate where the other boy would be - and almost always be wrong. Kikumaru would be gazing into a store window, helping an old lady, petting a stranger's dog... anything. He seemed to be constantly in motion. All the while, he kept up an active monologue, not seeming to require that much input from Oishi.

"Look! Isn't that the neatest flag? I haven't seen one like it, well, yes I have, but the colors weren't quite as bright... It reminds me a bit of my sister's eyes, though people say our eyes are the same color... people always tell me that my eyes are really unusual, but I'm not sure if  they're insulting me. I actually have really, really good eyesight, so I don't really pay them that much attention..."

Trying to follow Kikumaru's train of thought was easily as confusing as following his physical incarnation. Oishi was used to dealing with the quiet, introverted Tezuka, but Kikumaru was a whole new experience.

It was fascinating.

They arrived there much sooner than Oishi would have anticipated, simply because Kikumaru moved in amazing spurts, sometimes nearly running. He attracted scowls from more sedate pedestrians, but seemed oblivious to it.

"What kind of ice cream are you getting?" he asked breathlessly as they got in line.

"Red bean," Oishi said.

Kikumaru made a face. "That's not even sweet. Ice cream is supposed to be sweet!"

Oishi wasn't fond of overly sweet foods. "I like it," he said defensively.

The other boy was quiet for a second as he perused the long list. "I'm getting chocolate," he pronounced. "Ice cream should be chocolate."

Oishi watched in amusement as Kikumaru went up to the clerk as rattled off five flavors, all of them containing various amounts of chocolate. The girl smiled at him before turning to scoop out a large cone with five perfectly shaped scoops.

"Are you really going to eat all that?" Oishi asked with a bit of trepidation. 

"Every single bite," Kikumaru returned with relish, biting into it before wincing a bit. "That's cold!"

  


Oishi couldn't contain another laugh. "It's ice cream," he said.

"I know! But... it's one of those things I don't really thing about. I just remember how sweet it is, and I forget about the cold, and my teeth are sensitive, so..."

Oishi took a large bite of his own (much smaller) cone to keep from laughing to hard. The way Kikumaru was babbling was just hysterical. It was like there was nothing between brain and mouth that censored his thoughts. "Why did you join the tennis team?" he asked, finally finding the chance.

"Because I like tennis?" Kikumaru asked, blinking at him curiously. "Isn't that why people usually join it?"

Oishi knew he had phrased himself poorly. "I mean, you belonged to a lot of clubs..."

Kikumaru looked a bit embarrassed. "I played tennis a lot when I was younger, so I wanted to try something different. I think I went through... volleyball, basketball, swimming, mystery club, photography, flower arranging..."

"Flower arranging?" Oishi echoed. The idea of Kikumaru learning such a delicate art almost set him off again.

"For one day. The girls were a bit too happy to have me there..." Kikumaru replied. "Anyway, I ended up in photography club with Fuji finally, and one day we got to talking about tennis and we decided to join. He's really good, Oishi-kun," Kikumaru said. "I played him once, and he had me running all over the court."

"You said you played..." Oishi asked. "When did you start?"

"I can't remember. We had a tennis court close to our house. My mother would kick me out of the house and tell me to go burn off some energy, and that's where I'd go."

Oishi felt sympathy for Kikumaru's mother, imagining how hyperactive he had been as a child. "Did you meet Fuji there?"

ANo, no... I didn't meet him till this year," Kikumaru said. "Though I know he won some tournaments."

Oishi raised an eyebrow. "He's pretty good, then. I wonder why he and Tezuka didn't know each other?"

"Nyah?" Kikumaru said curiously.

"If they were both playing on the tournament circle..."

"That's easy. Fuji just moved here from Chiba two months ago. He entered late." Kikumaru reached his cone after polishing off the five scoops.

  


"Oh..." Oishi said. That would explain why Fuji hadn't entered tennis club when it started. "I wonder why he went to photography club...."

"He takes really good pictures. Like, professional."

"Of what?"

"Everything. And when you see the picture... it's like you've never seen it before. It's that... something special you hear about when you hear about professional photographers. Fuji's that good."

Oishi finally finished his cone, and was a bit surprised that Kikumaru was just about done as well. "That was good. Should we get going, Kikumaru-kun?"

"Hoiiii..." Kikumaru said, springing to his feet. "Practice is early tomorrow. We should go home, get a good night's sleep. Let's GO!" He grabbed Oishi's hand and tugged him along in his wake, starting another steady stream of babbling that had Oishi nearly convulsed in laughter.


	2. Part 2

Part Two

That Saturday, after running twenty laps, Ryuuzaki called the team over. "The third years are going to have to retire in another two weeks to prepare for exams," she said. "I want first and second years to start taking their training more seriously, because we're going to be holding a ranking match then."

"Yes!" The team said obediently. Oishi wondered how much more seriously they could take their training without being driven into the ground.

"Toward that end, first years are going to be holding matches, and I want second years to be doing some training with the third years. First years need to get used to moving around more freely, and feeling the whole court."

The first years began to whisper excitedly. Practice matches would be exciting, and something they'd rarely had the chance to do.

"Okay... on A Court..." Ryuuzaki looked downright dangerous as she smiled. "Tezuka and Fuji." Tezuka turned and looked at her in question, and she gave him a wolfish smile. "Time to test the newcomer. One set met," she told them.

Everyone began to whisper. They hadn't realized that Tezuka would be grouped in with the rest of the first years... and Ryuuzaki was putting someone who had only had a few weeks on the team against him?

"Ryuuzaki is being cruel..." Oishi heard one of the third years whisper before Ryuuzaki named the other first year match, Inui-Kawamura, before ordering second and third years to C and D courts.

  


Fuji didn't seem at all perturbed that he was about to be put up against the strongest member of the famed Seigaku team. Instead, he merely nodded, his smile remaining firmly in tact. "Shall we go, Tezuka-kun?"

Oishi remembered how Kikumaru had mentioned that Fuji had won some tournaments, and felt excitement well up inside of him. He had the feeling that this match was going to be very interesting...

Tezuka seemed a bit disconcerted by Fuji's smile. "Yes." Tezuka went to collect his racquet from where he had left it, leaving Fuji standing alone. A few first years came up and tried to offer him reassurances, but he just smiled as they told him not to feel bad when Tezuka totally slaughtered him, since it happened to the best players in Tokyo.

"Saa... and I wanted to play!" A voice came from his elbow. "Do you wanna watch Fuji and Tezuka play with me?"

"Sure, Kikumaru-kun," Oishi answered. The moved off the court and around the gate, trying to find a good spot to watch from.

"I wonder if Fuji is going to take this seriously or not," Kikumaru mused, finally settling on standing on the place directly across from the referee's chair. 

"Huh?"

"Fuji doesn't take that much seriously. He may seem really nice, but he's pretty nasty when you start listening closely to him. I think it's the smile..."

"And he's your friend?" Oishi asked.

"Of course! He's usually really nice... usually..." Kikumaru hedged. "Just don't make him mad...."

Glancing around, Oishi noticed that all the first years had decided to watch the Tezuka-Fuji match, instead of the other one. He could understand; watching Tezuka play was like watching a piece of performance art. Oishi felt the sweat beading on his forehead as Tezuka and Fuji went to the center of the court and decided the serve. Tezuka won, and everyone held their breaths as Fuji waited to receive. 

Tezuka considered carefully from across the court before gripping the racquet in his left hand. Tossing the ball in the air with his right, he moved, serving the first ball of the game.

Fuji merely smiled as the ball went to the corner, not even making a move to follow it. No one seemed surprised; many opponents who faced Tezuka were unable to think once faced with Tezuka's sheer power.

Tezuka, though, wore a slight frown as he prepared to serve again...

Another ace. And another... game point...

  


"Game, Tezuka! One game to love! Change courts!"

"You look different across the net," Fuji remarked as they moved to switch places, apparently totally unconcerned that he had dropped a game without even being able to return a shot.

Tezuka didn't reply.

"He's provoking him," Oishi said. "Fuji is provoking Tezuka..." It was an odd thought, but it seemed to fit.

Kikumaru bounced a bit. "Why would he do that? He just lost a game!"

"Some players like provoking their opponents to make them lose their cool. That won't work on Tezuka, though..." 

"Nyah... I don't think that's right," Kikumaru mused, leaning forward. "Maybe he likes losing a bit so he gets fired up? Some people like coming from behind, surprise their opponent..."

"It's a stupid tactic against Tezuka. Every point counts..."

"That's not it, boys," Ryuuzaki, who was standing next to them, said. The two jumped, surprised she had chosen to enter the conversation. "Fuji isn't interested in winning..."

"Huh?" Oishi and Kikumaru said in unison. 

"Watch."

Fuji served, and Oishi wasn't surprised that it was nearly as accurate as Tezuka's. Tezuka managed to return it, and the volley began. The ball whizzed back and forth, both players hitting solid shots that forced the other to move around the court. Neither seemed willing to give and inch.

"He's good," Oishi said. "Not as good as Tezuka, but..."

Oishi didn't say what was going through his head. As soon as Fuji played in the ranking matches, he would take a regular's spot.

"Game, Tezuka! Two games to love!"

What caught Oishi's attention, though, was the way Tezuka was regarding Fuji.... as though he was seeing him for the first time.

He sees a rival, Oishi realized, feeling scared. No one had ever made Tezuka study them that intently before, but the smiling first year had every ounce of Tezuka's concentration.

"Are you going to play me seriously?" Tezuka asked before serving the ball for the third time.

Fuji was still smiling. "Maybe."

  


Tezuka seemed insulted. He served again, and the ball was closer and more accurate...

A pain clenched in Oishi's chest... Tezuka was playing seriously. 

Tezuka never played anyone in the club seriously. 

It was hard to contain his jealousy of Fuji. Oishi had spent the last six months trying to catch up to Tezuka, but Fuji seemed to have caught his attention right away.

Tezuka... Oishi thought, feeling like Tezuka had suddenly started running far ahead of him and there was no way he would ever reach him.

"Game, Tezuka! Three games to love!"

Beside him, Kikumaru was uncharacteristically silent, for which Oishi was grateful. He wanted to watch this, commit it to memory, because something was happening, something profound and deep and beyond his understanding.

Fuji didn't seem at all bothered that he was losing, but merely wore the same smile that Oishi had grown accustomed to. It was completely out of place, and made the hair stand up on the back of his neck.

"Game, Tezuka! Four games to love! Change courts!"

Tezuka paused near Fuji, turning his head to stare at the shorter boy. The set in his jaw was tight, and his eyes were narrowed as he looked at the other with near annoyance. "Either play seriously, or don't play," he said finally, his softly spoken words managing to ring across the court.

Fuji's turned his head up slightly, and for the second time since Oishi had met him, his eyes opened and the smile fell away. "Are you sure you want that?"

Tezuka adjusted his glasses, not deigning to give a verbal response, but Fuji seemed to get the message. They went to take their places on the court, waiting for the signal...

"Come!" Tezuka ordered, his eyes bright, and he served. 

Fuji was there, lobbing it.

Tezuka frowned a bit, apparently confused at such an easy play, but smashed the ball anyway...

And then it happened.

No one really was quite sure WHAT happened, but Fuji spun, the ball flew, and Tezuka was unable to return it as it sailed over his head, landing just inside the line.

Silence.

  


What the heck was that? Oishi wondered, glancing over to see if Kikumaru knew, but the redhead's jaw was hanging loose in shock. Around them, everyone in the club had come to a stop, staring at the two players in amazement.

Only Tezuka seemed unshaken. He studied Fuji, who regarded him with a bland smile. "Higuma Otashi," Fuji pronounced, and around him, the wind seemed to pick up, caressing his clothes and playing with his slightly too-long hair. Blue eyes peered over the net at the club's strongest player as Fuji waited patiently for a reaction.

"Counter tennis," Tezuka said finally, figuring out what had happened.

"One of three counters," Fuji informed Tezuka in a nonchalant voice. "Probably the weakest, since it can only be used against smashes..."

Tezuka straightened his glasses, and a small smile tugged on his lips. "Then I won't smash," he vowed. 

"You sure?" Fuji asked innocently.

"At least not this game. Not until I've had time to think on how to counter it," Tezuka said. "Next time we play, I'll break it."

Fuji spent the rest of the game lobbing the ball, but Tezuka didn't rise to the bait. He took the set 6-1, but Fuji kept his last service game, something which Oishi was definitely impressed by.

Tezuka, though, didn't seem satisfied with the outcome, going over to the net to shake Fuji's hand at the end of the game. "Play seriously from the start next time," he told the other first year.

Fuji, though, seemed to have lost whatever it was that made him dangerous on the court. His expression appeared to be genuinely confused as he took his hand back, but he just smiled after a moment, not giving a verbal reply. Then, without a word, he left the court, hurrying off toward the clubroom.

Kikumaru stared at Fuji as his friend left the court. "I always knew he was weird," he said. 

A laugh caught the two unaware, and the two first years turned to see the coach, Ryuuzaki Sumire, smiling at them, amusement glittering in her eyes. "Weren't expecting that, were you?" she asked.

"You were, sensei?" Oishi asked after a moment, realizing that she must have put Fuji up against Tezuka with a very good idea of what was going to happen.

She crossed her arms over her chest, seeming to be very satisfied. "Fuji was a champion while in elementary school. They call him a tensai, and I wanted to see how he'd do against the best." She scratched her chin thoughtfully. "It looks like getting him to take it seriously might be a problem, but he's still pretty formidable - maybe a good rival for Tezuka...." she mused, speaking more to herself than to them. 

  


Oishi stared at her, the feeling of loneliness and abandonment growing. Tezuka had seemed more alive on the court then he had in ages, and Fuji had the serious boy's complete attention.

What would happen, if Tezuka decided that he didn't need Oishi anymore? 

***

After practice, Oishi went to the clubroom, slowing preparing to leave. His thoughts were muddled, but after seeing Tezuka and Fuji play, he was worried. He had always known Tezuka was above him - and that was okay. Tezuka was above everyone. The idea that someone might actually climb to his level, though, made Oishi wonder what he could possible offer to the one who was going to be the pillar of their club.

"Ne, Oishi?" A voice said, practically in his ear. 

The cheerful tones were unmistakable, but Oishi wasn't in the mood to deal with Kikumaru. He turned his head to make some kind of excuse, but the pair of eyes that were less than a foot from his own startled him.

How the heck did Kikumaru get so close without me hearing? Oishi wondered. The boy tended to move with the subtly of an elephant in a china shop - he made a lot of noise.

"Kikumaru-"

"Eiji."

"Huh?" Oishi asked.

"Call me Eiji," the redhead said, still way too close for Oishi's definition of personal space, and apparently unaware of it. There was a charm about his obliviousness, but right now Oishi just wanted to be left alone. "I'll call you... Syuuchirou? That's such a mouthful - I'll call you Oishi..." he mused, though the way he said it made it sound closer to "oishii" than its proper pronunciation. I really need to be called "delicious," Oishi thought with tired resignation. He had heard the joke way too often, but Kikumaru seemed delighted with the idea.

"Ki- Eiji, I really..."

There was a seriousness in Kikumaru that seemed at odds with the brilliant smile he was wearing as he slid onto the bench next to Oishi. Their sides pressed together, and Oishi blinked again, wondering how Kikumaru could be so comfortable.

"You know, my mother once told me that there's more than one kind of friend," he said thoughtfully. "We all give each other something that someone else can't. Just because we make a new friend doesn't mean we forget the old friends."

Kikumaru's words hit their target. Oishi blinked slowly, wondering if he was being jealous for no purpose. His hands shook, and he fisted them to try to contain the trembling

  


"Sometimes you just want to keep a person to yourself, because they're that special," Oishi whispered softly. Various memories of Tezuka, serious and strong, flickered through his mind, and he knew that he didn't want to lose the special closeness they had.

"If you keep someone to yourself, you're keeping yourself away from other people," Kikumaru said. "It's hard to make new friends when we're focused only on the ones we already have."

Kikumaru made everything so simple, so black and white. Despite his hyperactivity, the redhead wasn't stupid. He seemed to understand emotions, and was willing to talk about them. He was the opposite of the complicated and introverted Tezuka, but Oishi felt a smile come to his lips. 

"I guess," he admitted. "You're a good friend," he said.

"Always!" Kikumaru laughed. "Friends are important!" He said, leaning against Oishi comfortably. To Oishi's surprise, the contact wasn't invasive this time, but something comforting. Then he turned his head so their faces were less than six inches apart, an Oishi was caught in the enthusiasm reflected in Kikumaru's face. "Ryuuzaki-sensei promised me I could play a match tomorrow. Will you watch?"

"Of course," Oishi replied, feeling affection for the redhead, who had somehow made his foul mood disappear. "I can't wait." 

***

The next day, Ryuuzaki again began to pair off the first years, and the first pair she called was Kikumaru-Kawamura. Oishi winced on hearing who Kikumaru would be playing, but obediently went over to B court, knowing he had made a promise to watch.

He really hoped that Kikumaru would be okay. Kawamura Takashi was a pretty good player, but Oishi thought - very privately - that he was absolutely insane. 

Kawamura was a shy boy, quite timid really... until he picked up a racquet. Then he turned into the equivalent of a snarling, rampaging lunatic, obsessed with tennis. His shots, which lacked accuracy, were powerful, and Oishi knew that trying to return one could result in unexpected injury. Even Tezuka sometimes winced slightly after a long match with Kawamura. How would Kikumaru, with his slender build and short stature, manage to stand against the powerhouse?

Oishi frowned as he watched Kikumaru stretch, wondering if he should say something. Warn him. Tell Kikumaru that it might be a good idea not to take the match so seriously...

After several moments of worry, he opened his mouth to give Kikumaru SOME kind of hint of what was waiting for him, but before he could, a hand feel on his shoulder.

"It'll be okay," Fuji said, smiling at him reassuringly. The tensai gave Oishi's shoulder a reassuring squeeze before letting his hand fall to his side. "Have some faith."

"But-"

  


"Eiji won't be happy if you don't have any trust in him," Fuji warned, and though his smile was still pleasant, there was a hint of the "other" that Oishi had seen Fuji display while playing Tezuka. "Watch and see."

Oishi nodded slowly, still feeling uneasy. Fuji crossed his hands over his chest, apparently deciding to watch as well. Oishi wasn't sure if he liked having the sly boy so close, especially since he hadn't completely reconciled himself to what he felt. Kikumaru's words yesterday had been comforting, but it was hard to accept that Tezuka was moving beyond him.

On the court, Kikumaru jumped a couple of times, the nodded in apparent satisfaction. "Ready!" he said, looking over at Kawamura, who was taking a few fierce swings himself.

The power player gave him a wicked grin. "Come on! BURNING SERVE!"

Oishi winced as the ball landed just inside the court, whizzing by Kikumaru. The shot was half luck, to have made it inside since Kawamura's control was rather pitiful, but Kikumaru blinked a bit. "Fast!" he said.

"Serving again! I'm going to beat you!" Kawamura yelled, tossed the ball up into the air.

The ball blazed through the air, but amazingly Eiji just stood there, unconcerned as he watched it go by this time.

"OUT! 15-all!"

Almost against his will, he turned to Fuji. "He didn't even try for it."

"He saw it was going to go out," Fuji said. "He's got excellent vision - no matter how fast a ball is going, he's able to see it."

Oishi remembered Kikumaru rambling about his eyesight when they had been getting ice cream, but he hadn't realized that the boy hadn't been exaggerating. "That won't help him when he tries to return a serve," Oishi said finally. "He'll hurt his wrists."

"He's stronger than he looks," Fuji said.

The next serve landed outside as well, and Oishi imagined that he saw Kikumaru's head tilt slightly, in the fashion of a cat, before a slight smile came to his lips.

Kawamura served again, and this time the ball headed straight for Kikumaru, who took the racquet in both hands and returned it with a grunt of effort. The ball landed in Kawamura's court, forcing the larger boy to chase it. He managed to lob it, high, over Kikumaru's head...

And Kikumaru jumped.

Oishi's breath caught as Kikumaru seemed to fly – his slight built seemed to weigh nothing as he flew through the air, angling for the ball to smash it back into Kawamura's court. But he was positioned wrong as he begun to descend, his head seeming to be angled for a direct collision with the ground.

He's leaning too far forward! Oishi thought in a panic, opening his mouth to call out a warning, even though he knew it would be too late.

"Wait," Fuji said into Oishi's ear, sensing his alarm. "Watch."

As though he was dancing on the wind, Kikumaru's feet continued to rise smoothly, spinning over his head, and then he was landing, his feet settling perfectly on the ground. A bright smile lit his face as he held up his fingers in a "V" sign, winking at the shocked Kawamura. "Kikumaru-sama's acrobatics!" he said playfully.

Oishi stared, unable to believe what he had just seen. "Wh-what..."

"Acrobatic tennis. It's his specialty," Fuji filled in, crossing his arms over his chest. 

Oishi stared as the red head bounced over to wait for the next serve. 

"We're going to have a good team next year," said Tezuka, coming to stand between Oishi and Fuji. Oishi glanced over at his friend, whose eyes began to watch the game with interest. Kikumaru missed a point, and Kawamura crowed over his victory, but his mind kept replaying Kikumaru's unexpected play.

Suddenly Tezuka didn't seem so distant, and Fuji wasn't a threat. As Kikumaru hit a ball using the racquet behind his head, he suddenly began to see that Kantou wasn't a far off dream, and Tezuka would be able to lead them there...

With a little help from their friends.

END


End file.
